There are many ground transportation companies that provide transportation services to and from the LAX Airport and the Palm Springs area including bus, shuttle, limousine and taxi operators.  Transportation costs vary significantly based on the type of transportation selected.

Trip Distance from LAX to Palm Springs is 121 Miles
Travel Time LAX to PSP is approximately 2 Hours 6 Minutes

Bus Transfers from LAX Airport to Palm Springs:

Greyhound Bus:
From the LAX Airport, take the FlyAway Bus (866-IFLYLAX) to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.  The FlyAway Bus is available 7 days a week and departs from the lower level of all terminals at the LAX Airport.  Bus Fare from Los Angeles Airport to Union Station costs $7.00. From Union Station take a short cab ride to the Greyhound Station.

Greyhound Bus offers up to 4 trips per day going to Palm Springs at a starting cost of $26.40 per passenger.  Travel times range from 2 Hours 30 Minutes up to 3 Hours 5 Minutes.  The Greyhound Station is located in North Palm Springs within 6 miles of downtown Palm Springs, California.  Refer to the Palm Springs taxi directory for a list of companies that provide taxi service from the Palm Springs Greyhound Station.

Shuttle Transfers from LAX Airport to Palm Springs:

The following shuttle companies are based in Palm Springs, California and offer shuttle service to and from the LAX Airport.  Shuttle Cost from LAX to Palm Springs is approximately $100.00 per passenger and vary among the competing Palm Spring shuttle companies.

At Your Service Airport 760-343-0666

Desert Valley Shuttle 760-251-4020

R&C Express Shuttle LLC 760-567-2610

Sky Capp Shuttle 760-272-4175

Limousine Transfers from LAX Airport to Palm Springs:

There are many limousine companies that offer airport transfers from LAX Airport to Palm Springs.  Costs vary among the competing California limousine companies.  LAX Airport transfers start at about $420.00.

Updated November 27, 2010
Refer to our Super Shuttle Discount Code page for the latest coupons which are tested by our editors on a regular basis.

SEE SUPERSHUTTLE DISCOUNT COUPONS BELOW

SuperShuttle, a national door-to-door shuttle provider advertises various SuperShuttle Coupons.  Some coupons offered may be airport specific and have a relatively short expiration date.  SuperShuttle accepts online reservations at SuperShuttle.com or you can schedule a reservation by contacting SuperShuttle directly at 800-BLUE-VAN.

When making your airport shuttle reservation online, enter the SuperShuttle discount code into the Group/ Discount Code field.  The SuperShuttle Discount Code field is displayed immediately below the airport selection drop down field on their home page.  This discount code is a 5 digit number consisting of a combination of letters and numbers that are case insensitive.

For your convenience, we have provided a list of some SuperShuttle Coupons which have been recently used by other travelers who reserved airport shuttle service with SuperShuttle.

SuperShuttle Discount Coupons:

YUS68: $3.00 Discount on first person shuttle fare

CAMAG: 15% Discount on first person shuttle fare

PGRV7: $2.00 Discount per person

QWEST: 10% Discount on total shuttle fare

X5LSE: 5% Discount on total shuttle fare

8GYRL: 5% Discount on total shuttle fare

H95PQ: 5% Discount on total shuttle fare

FARNF: 5% Discount on total shuttle fare

SuperShuttle offers airport shuttle service to and from airports in 50 cities through the United States.  The quality of service may vary from city to city.  Before making reservations refer to the consumer reviews below.

Arizona SuperShuttle Reviews

California SuperShuttle Reviews

Colorado SuperShuttle Reviews

Florida SuperShuttle Reviews

Maryland SuperShuttle Reviews

Minnesota SuperShuttle Reviews

Missouri SuperShuttle Reviews

New Jersey SuperShuttle Reviews

New York SuperShuttle Reviews

North Carolina SuperShuttle Reviews

Pennsylvania SuperShuttle Reviews

Tennessee SuperShuttle Reviews

Texas SuperShuttle Reviews

Virginia SuperShuttle Reviews

Recent News on SuperShuttle:

SuperShuttle Where’s My Van

SuperShuttle Announces New Scheduled Shuttle Service to Napa and Lake Tahoe

According to research conducted by Transportation Reviews, the San Francisco Bay Area airports including San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose display a significant number of limousine operators  on their websites that are classified by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) as Denied, Expired, Pending, Revoked and or Suspended (inactive permit).  California limousine companies with an inactive permit are not authorized to provide limousine service, including transportation service to and from any California Airport.

Additional studies were conducted after a recent case study called “SFO Limousine Companies Denied, Revoked, Suspended” was released on 05/13/2010.  According to Todd Nemet, President of Transportation Reviews, “Because of the significant number of limousine companies with an inactive permit status that were listed on the SFO Airport website, I decided to immediately expand our research to encompass all three major commercial airports with in the San Francisco Bay Area which includes SFO, OAK, and SJC Airports.  Based on our results, all 3 Bay Area Airports list large numbers of limousine operators who are classified by the CPUC as not legally authorized to provide limousine services with in the state of California.”

Based on our results, all 3 Bay Area Airports list large numbers of limousine operators who are classified by the CPUC as not legally authorized to provide limousine services with in the state of California.  – Todd Nemet, President of TransportationReviews.com

Case Study Results for California Bay Area Airports:

SFO – San Francisco International Airport

• 12.3% of the California limousine service companies displayed on the SFO Airport website have a permit status of one of the following: Denied, Expired, Pending, Revoked and or Suspended by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
• 28.8% of the California limousine service companies displayed on the SFO Airport website display a company name that is not registered with CPUC.
• The average number of days with an inactive license was 275 days. The number of inactive days ranged from 27 to 594.
• Total Number of California limo companies reviewed is 73 as of 05/09/2010.

OAK – Oakland International Airport

• 11.6% of the California limousine service companies displayed on the OAK Airport website have a permit status of one of the following: Denied, Expired, Pending, Revoked and or Suspended by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
• 35.8% of the California limousine service companies displayed on the OAK Airport website display a company name that is not registered with CPUC.
• 34.7% of the limousine companies are misspelled according to the name that is filed with CPUC.
• The average number of days with an inactive license was 211 days. The number of inactive days ranged from 11 to 1,081.
• Total Number of California limo companies reviewed is 95 as of 05/14/2010.

SJC – San Jose International Airport

• 8.4% of the California limousine service companies displayed on the SJC Airport website have a permit status of one of the following: Denied, Expired, Pending, Revoked and or Suspended by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
• 6.2% of the California limousine service companies displayed on the SJC Airport website display a company name that is not registered with CPUC.
• 10.5% of the limousine companies are misspelled according to the name that is filed with CPUC.
• The average number of days with an inactive license was 78 days. The number of inactive days ranged from 1 to 407.
• Total Number of California limo companies reviewed is 465 as of 05/14/2010.

A small minority of limousine service companies in most major cities advertise an On-Time Guarantee.  Companies who advertise an On-Time Guarantee will compensate the traveler if the chauffeur is late for the scheduled limousine reservation.

Rules and restrictions may vary among the competing limousine service companies.  If the company does not clearly communicate the details of the proposed compensation on their website, ask the company to email you the specifics before you complete your limousine reservation.

Limousine companies who advertise an On-Time Guarantee have a greater incentive to arrive on time for the scheduled limousine reservation.   Compensation varies from a credit of one hour of free limo service or in some cases the entire limousine ride is free.

Here are some limousine companies who offer an On-Time Guarantee as of 4.29.10
Please contact the limousine company directly for additional details before reserving limousine service.

Arizona – Phoenix Limousine Service
Accent Transportation Services LLC
“Punctual service with an on-time guarantee, backed by a first hour free policy”

California – Burbank Limousine Service
Top VIP Transportation
“We are so confident in our California limo services that we guarantee we will always be on time or your ride is free”

Florida – Orlando Limousine Service
Southern Elegance Limousines Inc
“Port Canaveral Transportation we pick you up on time, every time or you don’t pay”.

Texas – Houston Limousine Service
Houston Corporate Transportation LLC
“One of the most important parts of our service for your wedding day is our exclusive on time guarantee. HCT guarantees an on time pick up. This means if your luxury limousine arrives late the first hour of service is free.”

Washington – Seattle Limousine Service
Riss Enterprises LLC
“We at Riss Enterprises, LLC Guarantee you as our valued client that we will arrive at your pick up location at the time that you request or your trip to the airport is on us.”

In certain areas or circumstances finding taxi service can be difficult, especially for travelers requiring taxi service for short trips.  Most taxicab drivers prefer to congregate at major commercial airports where passengers typically pay higher fares because their trips require greater distance and travel time.

Approximately 90% of all taxicab drivers are independent contractors, who lease their taxis from the taxi service company who acquire the permits to provide taxi services from the city.  Some taxicab drivers will decline requests from the taxi companies central dispatch for pickup service in order to provide scheduled taxi service to their existing customers.  This type of taxi pickup is referred to as “personals” within the taxi service industry.

Under most city ordinances that regulate taxis, the taxicab driver is not allowed to refuse service to passengers once they enter the vehicle.  Drivers may only refuse to provide taxi service when the passenger is abusive, owes money from a previous taxi fare, or if the driver feels unsafe going to a specific destination.

If a taxicab driver refuses to provide service once a passenger enters the vehicle, that passenger may inform the driver that they will make a formal complaint.  The taxicab driver will mostly likely agree to provide them with the requested service.  However, if the driver still refuses to provide taxi service, the passenger should make note of the taxi company name, taxi number, location, date and time of refusal of taxi service, and then make a formal complaint.

Related taxi article: SFO Airport Taxi Rule Encourages Unsafe Driving

Assuming you have received good limousine service, a standard tip for the limousine driver is on average 15 to 20 percent of the total limousine service cost.  Many limousine companies mandate a required tip for the limousine driver and will include this fee automatically within the sales invoice.  If you are paying the limo driver a tip in cash, make sure a gratuity charge was not already included in the invoice to avoid being double billed!

Please refer to our previous article on Limousine Gratuity.

When reserving limousine service, it’s always a good idea to contact at least 2 or more limousine service companies to compare services and rates.  Many limousine companies do not provide company information including rates and company policies on their website.  As a result, many limousine reservations require a phone call to the company for additional assistance.

Most limousine companies offer a wide range of services and operate various types of vehicles.  Before making your limousine reservation, the traveler should be prepared to answer many questions from the limousine company in order to provide an accurate quote for the limousine reservation.

Things to Know Before Reserving a Limo:

Reservation Date & Time: Limousine rates may vary according to the day and time of the reservation.  For example, rates during the week are usually available at a discount compared to weekend rates.

Charter Type: Type of charters include airport transfer, point-to-point, and or hourly charter.  For example, if you require an airport transfer going to or from the airport, the limousine company may charge a fixed rate rather than an hourly rate.

Type of Vehicle: Sedan, SUV, Van, Standard Stretch, Super Stretch, Limo Coach, Limo Bus or Motorcoach.

Number of Hours: How many hours are required.  For example, a stretch limousine require a higher minimum hourly rental than a sedan.

Type of Occasion: Wedding, prom, or night on the town.  For example, prom reservations require a higher minimum hourly rental due to lack of supply of available limousines during prom season.

Number of Passengers: Passenger capacity varies among the different types of vehicles.

Number of Vehicles: Depending on the number of passengers, additional vehicles may be required.

Color of Vehicle: What is your color preference.  Black and white are the most popular colors but other vehicle colors may be available.

Airport shuttle service is a cost-effective option for many travelers going to and from US commercial airports.  Airport shuttles are generally less expensive than other forms of airport transportation including taxi and limousine services.

Travelers may be required to share the shuttle van with other passengers going to and from the airport.  This will include additional stops to pickup other passengers and will increase the required travel time.

Airport shuttle companies are not all the same.  Some airport shuttle companies provide Door-to-Door shuttle service while other shuttle companies provide Scheduled airport shuttle service.

Door-to-Door Airport Shuttle Service:

Door-to-Door shuttle companies offer pickup services to and from the airport from a hotel, residence and or business.  Pickup times are established by the traveler.   Many shuttle companies require a 15 minute window based on the travelers requested pickup time.

For example, if your shuttle pickup time is scheduled for 9:00am, the airport shuttle van may arrive at your pickup location between 8:45am thru 9:15am.  Leading Door-to-Door shuttle service companies include SuperShuttle and Go Airport Shuttle, and they provide shuttle services to and from many commercial airports within the United States.

Scheduled Airport Shuttle Service:

Scheduled shuttle companies do not offer Door-to-Door shuttle service.   The shuttle van will pickup passengers at an authorized location which may include a hotel, restaurant, business, landmark and in some cases the base station of the shuttle service company.  Pickup times are pre-determined and fixed by the shuttle company.  Shuttle companies who provide shuttle service from a base station may also offer Door-to-Door shuttle services for an additional charge but only from their base station.

Before you make your shuttle reservation, review the cancellation policy very carefully because many scheduled airport shuttle companies usually have very strict cancellation policies.

Many limousine service companies offer discount limo rates to travelers when reserving airport limousine service to and from major US commercial airports.  These limo rates are referred to as “Airport Transfers” and are based on a fixed flat rate. Many limousine companies offer the discounted rate in order to remain competitive with taxi and shuttle service companies.

Most limousine companies institute restrictions regarding the use of these discounted Airport Transfer rates.  For example, most limousine companies do not allow additional stops going to or from the airport.   If the traveler requests additional stops, the limousine company may charge the traveler an additional set fee per stop or in some cases, change the type of Charter from an Airport Transfer to an Hourly Charter which is more expensive.  Most Hourly Charters require a minimum number of hours in order to reserve a limousine.  Depending on the company, the minimum number of hours can be 2 or more hours which may significantly increase the limousine transportation cost going to or from the airport.

Before you complete your limousine reservation, review the company’s policies regarding Airport Transfer rates which may be displayed on their company website.  If information is not available, ask the customer service representative to provide you with written details about their policies and rates via an email.

California SuperShuttle expands shuttle services in Northern California to Napa and South Lake Tahoe to and from the Sacramento International Airport (SMF).   SuperShuttle is the exclusive shuttle service provider for the Sacramento Airport providing Door-to-Door shuttle services within the Sacramento area including the counties of Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado, Placer, San Joaquin, Yuba, Butte, Solano, Sutter, and Nevada.  The official launch is scheduled for April 2010.  During the month of March, SuperShuttle is offering a SuperShuttle discount rate for a roundtrip shuttle reservation to Napa ($80) and South Lake Tahoe ($99).

SuperShuttle will provide shuttle services on a scheduled basis using 22 passenger shuttle buses. Currently SuperShuttle is providing shuttle service 4 times per day to Napa and 2 times per day to South Lake Tahoe to and from the Sacramento Airport (SMF). For additional information, contact SuperShuttle.